


A Brother's Love

by macgyvershe



Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Humor, sexual innuendo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-09
Updated: 2015-03-29
Packaged: 2018-03-06 22:02:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3149861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/macgyvershe/pseuds/macgyvershe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Loki is always shown as this terrible person. Yet, I think he really has been given a bitter lemon to swallow. So this little ficlet tries to give him some love and hope that he will find some humanity in his demigod heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

(After the Dark Elves)

“You have discovered my deception.” Loki stood manacled before the enthroned Thor.

“Leave us.” Thor said and the guards surrounding Loki turned and departed.

Loki watched them leave without concern. What was in store for him? He did not care.

“Father still grieves.” Thor began.

“Your father.” Loki interrupted.

Thor brought his eyes to bear upon his brother.

“I never knew.” Thor said in hushed tones. “He never told me. Mother loved us both. I love you still. In my heart, I grieve for her loss and your deception. Your denial of your family.”

“We are not bound by blood. Nor can I lay claim to my frost giant heritage of kingship after committing fratricide. I have no people, no family. I am a Frost giant’s expunged son. A would-be-king left to expire in the wilds, deemed weak and useless.”

“NO.” Thor came down from his borrowed throne to clasp Loki by the shoulders. Shaking him gently, he crushes him to his heart.

“Loki, though blood does not bind us, the childhood that we shared. That is not to be discounted or discarded.”

“Mother taught you her magics. Loved you as her own. No one can take that love away from you. You belong here with us, with me. You were always the levelheaded one, able to traverse the twisted paths of the body politic. Thinking clearly when I courted war.”

Loki looked up underneath long lashes. Holding up the manacles that encompassed his wrists.

“Is this your love, your fear, your distrust or merely your ability to make me subservient to your will?”

Thor unlocked the manacles and they fell to the floor with a loud clatter.

Whatever your linage, come and rule by my side. Show father your abilities to bear the mantle of Kingship. Jane by my side, a life with her is all I require. Protecting the realms will always fall to my shoulders, but you should be the rightful king. I will relinquish the crown to you within the following months. Your abilities lend themselves to leadership. A King of deception in a world full of deceit is to be valued.”

Loki looked into the saddened eyes of Thor. There was no pity there. A brief spark of hope ignited in Loki’s devastated heart. 

“So what are we? What can we find to call a common ground?” Loki asked of Thor.

“We will always be brothers, perhaps not of blood, yet born of a mother’s love. She loved us, Loki. With every fiber of her being. You cannot deny that. You may hold father’s tactics in question, but you cannot think less of mother. She was and will ever be your true mother.

Loki looked into Thor’s eyes. Memories flooded him; being held with love and cradled in compassion. Frigga was always present protecting him from his peers and an over-bearing older brother. Tending to any minor hurt, smiling proudly at his achievements. Ever-present, always loving, forever loved.

“I love her still,” Loki professed. His shining eyes producing tears that trailed down his beautiful face. “She taught me so much. I could never compete in the physicality of Asgardians. With her gifts of magic, I could hold my own.” 

Thor drew Loki again into his embrace once more. “Now let us bury this wrongness between us. Let us unite to make the realms better, brighter. Let us bring hope of peace and paradise to all our peoples.”

Finally, Loki returned Thor’s hug and for many long minutes, they held each other in companionable silence.

“I must learn more about this Jane of yours.” Loki said as he gently pushed Thor to hold him at arms-length. “For she has wrought a strange magic to change a self-absorbed juvenile into a man of compassion and intelligence.” Loki gave his most mischievous smile. 

“Come, the council meets within the hour. We must feed this scrawny semblance of a body that you reside in. Your royal personage needs enhancement by a well-nourished body. I want everyone to see that you are no longer a prisoner, but a true heir to the Asgardian throne.”

They walked side by side down the corridors of power. Loki felt a thrill pass through him. For the first time in many long months, he felt at home. Felt he had a family again. More than anything else he felt the tears of mourning begin to flood his blue eyes. 

Thor turned to see his brother overcome with grief. Knowingly he pulled his brother close.

“Page.” He called for one of the many young men and woman who were within earshot to assist him.

“My liege?” A young woman came forward to take care of whatever her lord needed.

Thor turned Loki away from her view. Positioning him so they were still in contact. 

“Prince Loki and I are retiring to my private chambers. Have my appointments for the next several days rescheduled. Speak to the kitchen to prepare food for us. Please have these matters seen to, Bergljot.”

“With pleasure, my liege.” Bergljot gave a respectful nod and left.

“I fear I have succumbed to the overwhelming grief of our mother’s loss.” Loki admitted. 

Taking Loki’s arm around his neck Thor supported his brother’s weight and brought him slowly to his chambers. Placing him upon his own bed. Thor sat on the edge of the bed and worried over his brother’s genuine grief.

“I remember when we were nurslings. I would come in and read to you when you had trouble sleeping, Thor.” Loki smiled his boyish smile, coy and darling.

“You had a great gift for theatricality then and now.” Thor replied remembering those times long past.

“So you think that the All-Father will accept a Frost Giant on his throne, do you?” Loki looked extremely skeptical.

“I think that he will welcome a son who can show him that he is worthy of the title and the power of that throne. You are smart and as manipulative as the old man is. I think the reason that you spark each other so much is that you are so much alike.”

“Why do you think he kept the truth from me, Thor? I am no fool to be broken with mere words.”

“Would you have believed him?” 

“When I hold the Tesseract, my true nature presents. It would have been easy enough for him to simply show me the truth of my true nature.”

“Then you would have felt yourself estranged. Alone. I think in his mistaken mind, he felt that he was protecting you from that isolation. Think that he fell in love with the boy who he thought to use as a pawn in his game of thrones. That he could not bear to lose you to the truth.”

“The dark haired son of fair haired parents. I never thought about it until the night when I saw my form turn to Frost Giant.” Loki’s eyes lowered and he huffed his dismay.

“We cannot go back. You were born of royal blood no matter if it is Asgardian or of Jötunheim. Acknowledge that. 

Bergljot knocked gently upon the open door and brought in a rolling table of foods and drink.

“Can I be of any other service, my lord?” She inquired and when Thor gave a nod in the negative, she moved out into the outer hallway where only loud summons would reach her.

“Food, wine or would you prefer the Tears of the Gods?” Thor held a small flask that held a blood red liquid known to relax the stiffest spine and loosen the tightest tongue.

“A touch of the Tears.” Loki said with grief still present upon his beatific face.

Thor poured two very tiny crystalline thimblettes of the Tears. Handing one to the reclining Loki. Sitting up and leaning against the decorated headboard, Loki took the thimblette and sipped at the intense and tasty spirit. Loki breathed a simple sigh as the heat and effluence of the drink stole his tension and stress away.

Thor sat close. He looked at his distraught brother and wished that he could do something other than getting him drunk to allay his deep fears of rejection.

“Rule at my side. Show the people, our father and the Nine Realms that you are more than up to the task. I will slowly withdraw my attendance to the work of ruling. Everyone will turn to you for continued guidance.”

“And if they don’t? What will happen if the doubt and distrust lingers in the hearts and minds of the people?” Loki’s voice was a bit too loud and body language spoke of a man drunk and definitely unable to think rationally.

Thor finished his drink. He felt the effects of the intoxicant coursing through his veins. 

“Would that we could return to our nursling days. Little care and no concern for talk of governing and state.”

“I was always getting you out of trouble.” Loki laughed at Thor.

“You, you were never far behind me in the trouble area, as I remember.” Thor grabbed Loki by his sleeve and shook him like a dog worrying a much-loved bone.

“Let us go to Jane’s. You two have not met on good terms. You can turn her animosity to friendship. I know you are capable of this. Then will your gloom and doom feelings recede and the fire of your charm and intelligence take hold. You must find the brother that I know and love within your heart. I see him. I feel him beneath my hand.” Thor squeezed tight the wrist within his grip.

“You are not going to let me wallow in my drink, are you? I have a desire to meet this woman that has so beguiled you. She was not happy to see me the last we met. Of course, let us fly to her side, but I fear you will have to carry your brother as I am not fit to walk upon the ground at this point in time.”

Thor huffed and lifted Loki off the bed and over his shoulder. Wobbling more than a bit, he followed Loki’s directions and they sidestepped the Bifrost Bridge using Loki’s ‘short-cut’ on their way to Jane’s location on the planet Earth or Midgard, as it is known to Asgardians. 

(-_-)

Thor let Loki slide down from his shoulder to the frozen ground. 

“Does Jane now live on Jötunheim?”

Loki held tightly onto his brother as they both wavered on the threshold of an Antarctic outpost inhabited by Jane Foster and the members of her team.

Thor pounded on the door. It opened and Darcy wide-eyed looked at the two Asgardian brothers.

“Thor and his evil brother Loki. I guess that you are looking for Jane?”

Thor smiled and pulled Loki closer to himself. “Yes, Darcy, my brother and I are here to see Jane. May we come in?”

Darcy pulled open the door and ushered them both in.

She touched an intercom beside the door. “Jane, you have company, your handsome, hunky boyfriend and his dark, demonic kid brother. I’m showing them into the main sitting room then barricading myself in the kitchen.”

Jane rushed to the sitting room. She ran into Thor’s arms as soon as he placed Loki on a comfortable couch. After a suitably lengthy hello kiss, she turned her gaze to Loki.

“So what do I owe this drunken visitation? Do you want me to beat the crap out of Loki?” She took a step in Loki’s direction and Thor drew her back into his arms. 

“Ah, she is a firebrand. A fit female to stand by your side Thor.” Loki nods his head in acknowledgment of Jane’s position in Thor’s life.

“We are drunk and in need of the shelter of your home and your heart, Jane. I want Loki to rule at my side and eventually to take the throne. He doubts the veracity of my words. I thought maybe between us we could persuade him. 

“Is that wise?” Jane said giving Loki a shaming eye. “He’s been a thorn in your side since I can remember. Why would you give him the throne? He’s a magician with delusions of godhood. I wouldn’t trust him with a broken mirror.”

“I want a life here with you Jane. I am duty bound to protect the Nine Realms and this I will do. Yet, I do not want to reign in Asgard. Loki is much better suited for the intrigue and subterfuge of politics. He can rule the realms because he is a magician with delusions of godhood. He has admitted that he never wanted to rule, but only to be my equal.”

“Tell me sweet Jane. What say you? I see your distain of my ascending the throne.”

Jane looked from Thor to Loki. Taking a deep breath, she began. 

“You behaved rather badly when you first visited my planet. Thinking you could conqueror us.”

“I admit I should have seen from your level of intensity that this world and it’s people would not be easily subdued. I have to say that your spirited behavior is refreshing.” Loki gave devious smile that was also somehow endearing. 

“How does he do that? Menacing and charming at once.” Jane said as she shook her head.

“I’ve had to live by my wits, when my physicality would not provide,” Loki replied. There was truth in his words.

Thor drew Jane into his arms and sat in a large stuffed chair across from Loki. Jane sitting comfortably in his lap.

“The two of you do have the look of love. I am sure that you will find your ‘happy ever after’.” Loki said with affection in his voice.

Upon his words, Loki saddened. “Frigga. Thor, it is my fault that she died. I told the intruders where to enter the palace from my cell. They would have never found their way into her chamber without that knowledge.”

Jane, shocked, turned to Thor.

In his drunken state, Loki began to tremble at of the memory of his lost ‘mother’. Curling in on himself, soft cries emanated from him.

Jane looks at Thor and mouths the words. *She’s dead?* He nods in grave acknowledgment and she can see tears looming at the corners of his eyes.

“Oh, my god.” She whispers as the gravity of those words shock her. She’d only just met Thor’s mother, it seemed like just a few months ago.

She gets up from Thor’s lap and walks over to Loki. Sitting close, she takes him in her tiny embrace. Pulling his grief stricken body against her. The tall God of Mischief engulfs her small form, crying in earnest now. 

“You must live with your actions, Loki.” Thor said sadly. 

Loki looked up from Jane’s shoulder and his distraught face tear stained. 

“Yes, who will forgive the killing of the Queen, Thor? Would you forgive me for that action?” 

“If you had known what would transpire. You would have done everything in your power to stop it. It was a twist of fate that none could have foreseen. I can forgive you Loki. Can you forgive yourself? That is the forgiveness you must seek.”

Loki looked at Jane as she held him tenderly. Compassion shining from out her eyes. Gone was the woman who had slapped him early in their acquaintance. The firebrand who had stood up to him with a fierce courage that defied reason. His eyes sparkled with renewed life. If Jane could think him worthy. If Thor’s mortal maiden could look into the heart of a temperamental God of Deception and not be offended. Maybe, just maybe, there was some hope for him.

His inner pain doused with liberal amounts of love and understanding. A small and clever smile brought itself to Loki’s lips. He snuggled down to lay his head in Jane’s lap.

“Don’t get too comfortable brother. Jane is spoken for.”

The Trickster’s glint returned to Loki’s eyes. “If you are determined to make this fair lady my sister-in-law, Thor. I would like to tender my services to the happy couple. My talents will be most suited to planning the wedding of all the Nine Realms.”

Jane’s jaw dropped and she looked very hard at Thor. 

“Trust must begin in small stages, Jane.”

“You want to hand over our wedding to the God of Magic, Deception and the Trickster of all time?” 

“Look at it this way, love.” Loki said with just enough humility to make Jane wince at its veracity. “It will be the event of a thousand life-times. The universes will sing about the wedding of Thor and Jane until the very end of time.”

“That is what I’m afraid of.” Jane said as tugged on Loki’s long black hair and stared at Thor for guidance. 

“We will pair him up with Darcy.” Thor suggested. “I think she will be a good buffer between Loki and the real world.”

Darcy popped out of nowhere. “Did I hear my name just mentioned as wedding planner? I don’t know if you know this or not, but I’ve had rather a lot of experience in handling gods. I was PRETTY good when we first met Thor if you remember?” Darcy pulled out her Taser and twirled it around the trigger like a gunman from the old west.

“Well, hello there.” Loki said as he moved fluidly from off of Jane’s lap and took his position at Darcy’s side. 

Darcy’s eyes brightened as the Lord of Duplicity drank in her presence as he kissed her unoccupied hand. The one not holding the  
Taser. “I can totally work with this.” She said as she tucked the Taser away. Loki matched her crazy smile.

“Our work is done here.” Thor said as he pulled Jane to her feet and led her away. “I require your undivided attention, Jane to a matter that has just come up.”

“Sounds like you need immediate attention, Thor. Let me get right on it.” Jane smiled at him wickedly.

“Jane, it’s like you can read my mind.” Thor said as he brought her into the hard angles of his body.

“That too.” Jane said as she snuggled up to his massive body that appeared to be ‘up’ in all the right places.


	2. A Mother's Sons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki speaks of love and death. Of their mother's love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This small addition to my story. It just came out and I hope that you will enjoy it.

Thor stood on his balcony within the heart of Asgard the night sky above him was truly magnificent. Jane lay asleep in his bedchamber. Not unnoticed, Loki entered his rooms quietly. He brought several chalices of God’s Tears, a heady brew that loosened the limbs as well as the tongue to Thor. His brother took it easily from his hand. 

“Your Jane,” he started. “She is full of fire and passion. I understand your fascination with her, brother. I wonder at your intention of wedding her. Her life, even should she live to see two hundred years with Asgardian aide, her life will be as a single breath to you or me. How will it be when she dissolves into death? She will destroy your heart. Should you have children? Will they inherit your life span or hers? Are you ready to compromise your heart so clearly? Are you prepared to lose what you love in so short a time?”

“What would you have me do, Loki? Turn away from love though it be brief. Keep my heart closed and fill it with what? The arms of another? It is madness to think that I can go on without her. Even if I had but a day, an hour, or twenty Asgardian lifetimes, I would never have enough of her. I will deal with loss when it happens. Not before. Not now.”

He lifted the chalice and sipped the strong brew as he viewed his brother. Loki seemed concerned, eyes bright as they talked of love and death.

“I miss her, Thor. She was… I told her that she was not my mother just before she died. I would take those twisted words back now. She could have lived on many long millenniums before death claimed her." 

Thor saw something in Loki break. His bright eyes turning to hot tears. The demigod reduced to mortal man with just a thought. Thor set their chalices down and placed a brotherly arm across Loki’s shoulders. Offering comfort, but allowing some space if Loki should need to pull away. 

Loki leaned into Thor. The strength of his brother, the comfort of his embrace, he needed that at this moment in time. Loki cried. 

“She knew you spoke in anger and frustration. She knew you better than anyone else did. You could never trick her, no matter how hard you tried. Her love was never dependent upon your good deeds. She loved you with all her being. Even I could feel that. She knew you were not of her blood, but it did not matter. She would have fought to the death to defend you, her youngest son.”

Eye to eye, the two brothers held each other in silent warmth and love. 

“Her love still shines from out your eyes, brother.” Loki put emphasis upon that last word. He had let the darkness in him flow. Felt despair and desolation at finding that Odin had deceived him all his life. Yet, he could not fault his mother or his brother’s love.

“When darkness comes. I will be there for you. I will be the brother that you deserve. I swear this on my princely Jötunheim blood. My Asgardian heritage.”

Thor leaned in to touch his brother’s forehead with his. They stood long minutes, locked in grief and joy and the wonderment of their mother’s love. The one thing they shared that no one could tarnish, betray, or take from them. She walked in their memories and they could feel her warm embrace as she held them tight. Her nurslings, her boys. Always her boys. Forever her boys. No matter how grown they became. Her sons would feel her love holding them together. 

“Brother.” Loki said lovingly, knowing that he would always stand for Thor. No matter what the challenge or the darkness that sought them out. 

“Brother.” Thor replied. The stars shone upon the Lords of Asgard. Nowhere in the Nine Realms was there more peace than in those two hearts.


	3. The Wedding Planners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy and Loki are planning the wedding of this or any other century. Darcy is a bit overwhelmed and Loki is well...just Loki.

Darcy exhausted and in need of a major hygienic refreshing, lay draped over the Trickster God’s lap. Loki busy on the laptop he had strategically placed upon her person, continued with the epic task of planning the wedding of all weddings. Through the science and magic of Asgard, Thor and Jane’s wedding would be available for viewing in all the realms; billions watching and waiting for the son of the All Father to wed his ascending queen, both to become the sovereigns of Asgard.

Jane stepped into the central hub of the Loki/Darcy control room. She seemed afraid to wake Darcy.

“I do believe that you could detonate seven Tesseracts and not wake the fatigued female currently residing upon me.” Loki’s eyes shown with joy and an easily interpreted mischief.

“Loki,” Jane began as she sat opposite her soon to be brother-in-law. “I wanted to thank you for the great effort that you are expending to make this happen.”

“I have to admit that I could never have believed that I would be doing this, for you, for him.” The mischief in his voice turned serious.

“You know he is going to decline the throne once we are married?”

“This does not guarantee my ascension, Jane. Odin will not accept the son of a Frost Giant on the Asgardian Throne. There are many factors at play here. Nothing is as they say ‘set in stone’.”

Jane smiled. “I think you underestimate Thor’s influence on your behalf. That is where he has been these last few weeks. He is going to call for a vote of confidence in your favor. Your mother’s death has been a great shock to everyone. Your father really wants to retire at this time and if Thor declines the throne and no one else steps forward.”

“There are many who would ‘step forward’.” Loki placed his laptop on a convenient surface and lifted Darcy to place her on a nearby couch like structure.

“I’m not going to fuck it up. Really. Really.” Darcy muttered and started snoring. 

Jane giggled, pressing her lips into a thin smile. “Thor is making sure that no one steps forward. If they do, they will get a face full of a very irate God of Thunder.”

“He is doggedly determined to see me on the throne, is he not? Jane, I have been instrumental in many deaths on you home planet. What do you feel about a Frost Giant interacting with your Midgardian people?”

“He loves you, Loki. That your blood is not Asgardian does not matter to him. He did not send me here to tell you this. I know deaths have occurred due to your actions on Earth. I do not recommend that you visit Midgard any time soon. I do believe that Thor and I can ameliorate your actions somewhat.”

“He saved me from the exploding Aether device, Jane.” Loki said thoughtfully. “He could as easily let me be pulled into it. All difficulties ended. My life forfeit.” Loki tilted his head towards Jane. His eyes giving a passionate look. “I do not plan a trip to Midgard in the near future.” 

Jane felt she was getting somewhere with Loki.

“It is my nature to be contrary. To be the trickster is ever a part of my life. My mother taught me her gift of illusion. Using it properly has gotten me into and out of trouble all throughout my life.”

“Well most politicians would be right up there with you, Loki.”

Darcy rolled to her side. “Oh my god, Loki. You can’t do that.” She threw her arms up into the air and squirming around until she fell off the couch. “Holy shite.” Darcy was awake now and blinking the unconsciousness out of her groggy mind.

“Jane, Loki. What the hell happened? Loki, we didn’t, did we?” Darcy was looking decided distressed.

“Darcy!” Jane looked aghast at her assistant. “You didn’t, did you? With Loki?”

“Ladies,” Loki interrupted. “I can assure you both that nothing untoward has happened to anyone. We did get familiar during the wine tasting phase of our excursion into setting up entire wedding. I do believe a session of kissing never hurt a human. She did seem to enjoy it at the time.”

“Oh my god, we kissed and I don’t remember?” Darcy stood rather wobbly and made her way to the toilet to do homage to the porcelain god.

“I’m terribly sorry, Loki. I apologize for anything Darcy did in her inebriated state.”

Loki smiled, suppressing his laughter. “My dear Jane Asgardian drinking fests can be so much more enthusiastic and invigorating than my brief encounter with Darcy. I found her physicality and over the top enthusiasm quite endearing.”

“Well that is a first. Darcy’s ‘enthusiastic’, but she is basically a good person.”

Darcy looking a bit green about the gills reentered the main room and took a seat closer to Jane and further from Loki.

She held her lowered head at the temples and avoided eye contact.

Loki stood and rummaged into an inner pocket of his beautiful regalia. “Place this into your mouth for a few minutes. No need to swallow it. Spit it out when you feel enough relief.” He placed a small disk in Darcy’s hand. 

She examined the disk with an angry eye, but did place it delicately into her mouth.

“So where are we in the event planning arena?” Jane inquired.

“To be kind we are a majority of the way through the massive amount of set up before, the actually wedding, the after party and eventual tear down. Most of the enormous amounts of work done, people delegated to do their portions. Now the follow up and checking everyone off on our checklist and we are there. Your wedding is most assuredly as they say ‘off the ground’.”

“Shite.” Darcy stood with eyes wide and mouth gaping. “What the fuck was in that thing?” She walked over to Loki and grabbing him by his collar, she hauled his tall ass up and looked skyward into his icy blue eyes. “That was amazing. I am totally cured. I feel fantastic. We could make multiple fortunes marketing it on my world.”

“It’s called a bilge-snipes ass and it will ‘cure’ the nominal hangover that you are experiencing. It is made from the secretions of glands around the…” He did not get to finish his dissertation on the aforementioned glands as Darcy again bolted out of the room and back into the convenient toilet environment. Her evacuation of her near empty stomach was loud and clear.

Loki and Jane suppressed their laughter for as long as they could. Then burst forth with bells of shared laughter that filled the room. 

“Loki, Thor and I would like you to come to your quarters tomorrow. We’d like to have you for dinner.”

“I hope I will be the main course?” Loki said mischief in his sparkling eyes. “I will be honored.”

“Shall I relate this information to Darcy?”

“No, this meal is for the three of us alone.” Jane said as she stood. She came to Loki’s side. Her diminutive size make her look up to view his beautiful face. “Thank you, Loki.”

Bending, he took her tiny hand in his and gently kissed the back like a gentle man of past ages. Jane saw in him the injured man who had lived someone else’s lie, the child abandoned by his own, the brother who had saved her and Thor. She knew that she could forgive his past deplorable behavior. Corrupted by anger, heartache and betrayal, Loki had changed. Well as much as the God of Fire and Trickeries could.

Jane walked towards Darcy’s refuge. “Hope you are better soon!” She shouted in Darcy’s direction. She moved toward the door and exited.

Loki thought as she left the room, what a massive presence she commanded. Was it any wonder that his brother (yes, he could think of him again at brother) loved her to distraction?

“Brother, you are well and truly blessed.”


	4. Long Live the King

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The King's brother seeks an audience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my fix it making Loki, Odin and Thor a family again.

There was a gentle knock at his personal chambers. 

“Come.”

“My Lord, your brother requests an audience.” The young squire bent at the waist acknowledging his sovereign.

“Please ask him to come forward, Asmund.”

Thor entered the room, coming down on his knee to honor his liege lord.

“My lord. I beg your indulgence in my request to divide my time between Asgard and Midgard. My good wife wishes to spend some time with her people and I can deny her nothing.” Thor stood a smile upon his lips and contentment in his spirit.

Before Thor could finish his request, Loki strode toward him and embraced his elder brother. “Your good wife is as blessed as I my brother. You have been as good as your word. Sitting on a throne that you have vacated for me, I cannot deny you anything your heart requests.”

Thor returned his brother’s embrace feeling finally vindicated in his choice of Loki as the next king of Asgard.

Loki motioned for his brother to join him in his sitting room. “Asmund, bring us honey mead to quench our thirst.” Loki called to his young squire.

“You have proved yourself a worthy monarch, Loki.” Thor seated himself across from his brother. An easiness passed between them that had been missing for a long while. “Managing an uprising amongst the criminal elements of the many realms. Exposing your dual royal heritage, placing yourself at risk from many factions. Yet, you come out on top through your machinations and manipulations of egos and organizations that all before you have been unable to attain. You, Loki have earned your place on the throne and in the hearts and history of Asgard as one of its great rulers.” 

Asmund brought in a pitcher of mead and three cups and a tray of appetizing morsels to please the palate. As quickly as he came, he left to take his position outside the king’s quarters.

Loki looked to the slightly open door to his chamber. Thor’s gaze followed his. Odin dressed in modest clothes that belied his former status entered.

“I come as your father, a proud father of two most excellent sons.” Coming closer, Odin’s gesture requested leave to sit. 

Immediately, with a tilt of his head Loki acquiesced. He lifted the third cup filled it with mead and brought it to his elder.

“My past decisions haunt me, Loki. My reasons for my behavior were at once questionable. I felt I was doing the best for the greatest good. Our youngest son, it seems, captured Frigga’s heart as well as mine. She doted upon you to her distraction. I should have spoken to you, Loki, as soon as you could understand. I should have broken my silence. Frigg counseled me to do so, but I resisted. I was wrong. You deserved a better father and a greater king. Please accept my sincere apologies, my son, my King.”

Loki, still standing close to his onetime king, father and betrayer, looked down and breathed in a soft breath of disbelief. 

The room silent, Thor set his mead cup down to break the quietude. 

“I am first and foremost Loki Odinson. Nothing will ever eradicate that posture of my heart. Nothing of the past can is valid now.” Loki came to embrace his elder, his father. “Banish all thoughts of our discord. Let only love fill our present. Our love and our grief at mother’s passing.”

Thor saw the transformation and merging of Odin and Loki’s mutual forgiveness and it made his eyes glitter with tears of overwhelming joy. 

Father and son finally let go of one another and beamed at each other. 

“Now I want you to relate to me how you outsmarted and out maneuvered the bastards?” Odin said as he took up his cup. “Asmund, bring us a flask of the Tears of the Gods.”

“Yes, All Father.” Asmund grinning widely acknowledged his liege rushing away to gather the prized liquor for the royals.

Thor sat back watching delightfully as Loki basked in the total attention of his adoptive father. This was going to be a long night. One of revelry and bonding. A night long overdue in his estimation. The future was not foreseeable. Yet, this, this mending of hearts and spirits was something Thor had worked for, longed for…now it was here and he could not feel more grateful for the outcome.


End file.
